Certain disclosures exist in the prior art in regard to copper amino alkoxide compositions, for example. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 62/240,691, dated Oct. 21, 1987, describes compounds of the general formula Cu(ORNR'.sub.2).sub.2 where R is alkylene and at least one R' is hydroxyalkyl.
More recently, in Science (Jan. 6, 1989), Vol. 243, pp. 66-69 a hydrolyzable compound of the formula Cu(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2).sub.2, for example, is disclosed in regard to the formation of the superconductor YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.6+x.
Related U.S. Ser. No. 270,570, filed Nov. 18, 1988, of Carl C. Greco et al. discloses certain metal (dialkylaminoalcoholate) solutions of the general formula M(ORNR'.sub.2).sub.2, where M is a superconductor metal precursor (e.g., copper), R is alkylene of from 2 to 3 carbon atoms, and R' is alkyl of from 1 to 8 carbon atoms. Examples of suitable compounds which are given in this related application have the general formula Cu(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 NR'.sub.2).sub.2 where R' can be methyl or ethyl. Solutions containing such copper compounds, for example, dissolved therein can be formed but, upon standing for several weeks or more, some degree of undesired precipitation of the copper (dialkylaminoalcoholate) values originally dissolved therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,835 to D. G. Guillot describes various reaction products of an organometallic compound and an aminopolyol which are useful as catalyst compositions for the polymerization of an epoxide compound. Examples 11-12 describe the polymerization of propylene oxide in the presence of a catalyst formed by the reaction of diphenylmagnesium with a lower molar amount of either 3-dimethylamino-l,2-propanediol or 3-diethylamino-l,2-propanediol This patent fails to describe the structure of its catalyst composition other than indicating that some carbon-magnesium bonds remain unreacted. All of the Examples use a magnesium-containing organometallic reactant and do not employ any with such metals as zinc, aluminum, calcium, cadmium, strontium, gallium, or barium The compositions formed using the process described in the Guillot patent would be mixtures and not substantially pure heavy metal amino alkoxides as described herein.